Sunday, August 23rd, 2015
This week we studied Acts 1.
As you begin your study each week, pray that God will speak to you through His Word. Come each week prepared for discussion. Be willing to participate and ask questions. As much as possible, stick to the topic at hand. Be sensitive to the other members in your group and listen attentively.
Intro To ACTS:
In the book of Acts, we see God birth the church by sending the Holy Spirit to indwell followers of Jesus. A great way to frame the entire book of Acts is in the following themes:
The beginning of the church (1:1 – 2:47)
The church and the Jewish authorities (3:1-5:42)
The church begins to expand (6:1-9:31)
The beginning of the Gentile mission (9:32-12:25)
The mission to Asia Minor and its aftermath (13:1-15:35)
Paul’s missionary campaign in Macedonia and Achaia (15:36-18:17)
Paul’s missionary campaign in Asia (18:18-20:38)
Paul’s arrest and imprisonment (21:1-28:31)
As we read and study Acts together, our prayer is that deep study of the Word of God would result in changed hearts and renewed spirits to pursue the things of God in our day and time.
“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
Romans 8:11
Questions for this week:
- Read verses 1-5. In the book of Acts, we see His followers wanting to know times and dates. Jesus tells them that the important thing to know is that the Spirit will come and empower them for mission. What helps you to feel equipped to carry out Jesus’ mission on earth?
- What was the significance of the fact that Jesus showed Himself to the apostles and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive?
- Read verses 6-11. What evidence is there that the disciples did not understand the kingdom that Jesus set up?
- Given the Jews’ heavy emphasis on the Earthly temple and the Earthly manifestation of the Kingdom as the nation of Israel (remembering, even, Peter’s reaction to Jesus’ arrest in the garden), discuss how revolutionary the idea of a “Spiritual Kingdom” was to the apostles. How does this type of Kingdom transcend borders? How does it transcend time and opposing governments?
- Think back to the apostles’ reactions after the crucifixion. Think back to their reactions while Jesus appeared to them. Look to their reactions in Acts chapter 1. Do they know what will happen? Do they have a Bible to guide them? Do they have Paul’s letters (or Paul)? Discuss the faith of the apostles.
- Discuss times where God has told you to “wait for the revealing of the Holy Spirit” in your life. What did that look like for you? How did you act or react? Were you alone or did you have support? What difference did this make?